Kennedy Valve-Finishing Front Line Supervisor

Job Description

Job Description

Company Description

Kennedy Valve, a member of the McWane family of companies, is a gray and ductile iron foundry and computerized machining and assembly company. We have been an active community partner in Elmira, New York, for over 125 years.

People providing peace of mind water solutions.

To save lives, resources, and property by supplying the best waterworks and fire protection products in the world.

Our culture is important to us and forms the foundation for everything we do. Successful Team Members will embrace and perform in accordance with our following core values:

Safety : People First – Step Up

Environment : Protect Our Communities – Keep It Clean

Leadership : I am Always On Stage – First Manage My Own Words & Behaviors

Accountability : Lead Myself Well – Own It, Correct It, Learn From It, Move On

Excellence : Always Working To Be Better – Value & Add Value

Trust : The Speed Of Trust – Build, Don’t Break

Teamwork : Help Each Other Be Great – Win Together

Communication : Clear, Candid, & Constructive – Right Words, Right Time, Right Way

WHY KENNEDY VALVE?

 

Kennedy Valve offers great wages and robust benefits packages, as well as stability and a sense of team!

 

• Highly Competitive Salary- $73,238-$90,471
• Paid Vacation
• 12 Paid Holidays and Paid Sick Leave
• Retirement: 401(k) with company match options
• Educational Reimbursement after one year of service
• Employer-paid life insurance with the option to supplement
• Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental plan options

 

 

 

 

Job Description

SUMMARY

The Finishing Supervisor is a frontline manufacturing leader responsible for the safe, efficient, and disciplined execution of production operations within a union manufacturing environment. This position provides direct leadership, accountability, and operational oversight for assigned production areas while ensuring adherence to production schedules, quality standards, labor expectations, and safety requirements.

The Supervisor is expected to maintain a strong daily presence on the production floor and serve as the primary owner of execution within their assigned area. This role is responsible for driving schedule attainment, labor efficiency, escalation discipline, operational stability, and workforce accountability through active floor leadership, structured communication, and visible performance management.

The Finishing Supervisor leads and holds accountable assigned Team Members while establishing a culture of safety ownership, operational discipline, teamwork, and continuous improvement. This role is expected to provide clear direction, maintain consistent follow-up, reinforce standards, and address performance concerns in a timely and professional manner.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate staffing assignments and labor balancing to support production requirements and operational efficiency
• Ensure production boards, operational metrics, and shift performance information remain accurate and visibly maintained throughout the shift
• Maintain strong floor communication with Scheduling, Maintenance, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain teams to support uninterrupted operational flow
• Drive accountability to standard work, operating procedures, production discipline, and escalation expectations

 

Production Execution & Operational Leadership

• Lead daily production execution for assigned finishing operations and ensure adherence to production schedules, priorities, and delivery requirements
• Maintain active and visible leadership presence on the production floor throughout the shift
• Drive schedule attainment, labor utilization, throughput, and operational stability within assigned areas
• Monitor production flow and proactively identify, escalate, and resolve operational constraints impacting safety, quality, delivery, or productivity
• Lead daily startup meetings and structured floor communication processes to align Team Members to daily priorities, safety expectations, and operational goals
• Ensure timely escalation of equipment, staffing, quality, material, or process issues that threaten schedule execution
• Develop and execute recovery plans when production falls behind schedule

 

Safety & Quality Leadership

• Enforce all company safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements
• Lead daily safety huddles, safety conversations, and area safety audits
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe production environment
• Ensure all quality standards, inspection requirements, and process controls are consistently followed
• Partner with Quality and Manufacturing Engineering to contain, investigate, and resolve defects, scrap, rework, or process-related quality concerns
• Review and address scrap, downtime, and operational losses daily to identify trends and corrective actions
• Hold Team Members accountable to safety expectations, quality standards, and compliance requirements

Team Leadership & Accountability

• Directly lead and manage unionized hourly Team Members within assigned operations
• Establish clear daily expectations for safety, quality, productivity, and operational performance
• Provide consistent floor leadership, communication, coaching, and follow-up to Team Members throughout the shift
• Hold Team Members accountable to work standards, safety expectations, operational discipline, and production performance requirements
• Administer attendance tracking, corrective action, documentation, and disciplinary procedures in accordance with company policy and labor agreements
• Support workforce flexibility through cross-training and skill development initiatives
• Promote a culture of accountability, urgency, teamwork, continuous improvement, and operational discipline
• Recognize performance gaps and take timely action to correct behaviors, reinforce expectations, and improve team execution

Continuous Improvement & Operational Discipline

• Support and participate in continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, throughput, labor efficiency, and waste reduction
• Identify recurring operational issues and partner with leadership and support functions to implement corrective actions
• Utilize operational metrics and visual management systems to monitor performance and drive accountability
• Participate in audits, inspections, and operational reviews as required
• Maintain accurate production, downtime, staffing, and operational records

 

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Performance in this role will be evaluated based on leadership effectiveness and operational execution across the following primary categories:

 

Safety & Compliance

• Safety performance and incident prevention
• Adherence to safety procedures and regulatory requirements
• Housekeeping, audit readiness, and operational discipline

Operational Execution

• Schedule attainment and delivery performance
• Labor efficiency and staffing effectiveness
• Downtime reduction and escalation responsiveness
• Operational stability and adherence to production priorities

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Scrap, rework, and quality performance
• Process adherence and standard work execution

Participation in corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives

 

Qualifications

REQUIREMENTS

 

• High school diploma or GED required; associate or bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, industrial technology, or related field preferred

• Minimum of 3 years in a leadership or supervisory role, preferably in a manufacturing environment
• Strong understanding of machining, mechanical assembly, and production workflows
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing, 5S, and continuous improvement principles
• Working knowledge of safety standards and OSHA regulations in an industrial setting
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, blueprints, and work instructions
• Proficient in using computer applications including MS Office and production tracking systems (ERP/MES)
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and manage hourly production Team Members
• Effective problem-solving and decision-making skills in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience working in a union environment (preferred, if applicable)
• Ability to work flexible shifts, including evenings or weekends, as needed

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Ability to frequently stand, walk, and move throughout the production floor for extended periods of time
• Must be able to occasionally bend, stoop, reach, and climb stairs or ladders as required
• Ability to lift, carry, and move items up to 50 pounds occasionally
• Must be able to tolerate working in a manufacturing environment, including exposure to noise, dust, grease, heat, and varying temperatures
• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses, hearing protection, steel-toed shoes, and other gear as required by the work area
• Ability to work flexible hours, including early mornings, evenings, or weekends to support multiple shifts or production demands
• Visual acuity to read blueprints, reports, and computer screens and to inspect parts and materials
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in a loud production environment

Additional Information

LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.

Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with federal, state, or local law.

 

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. 

 

Kennedy Valve Co. is a drug-free workplace and reserves the right to perform substance abuse testing as needed. Kennedy Valve is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices. Kennedy Valve will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran or service member status, marital status, citizenship status (IL - sex, including same sex, ancestry, order of protection status, physical or mental disability, military status, pregnancy, unfavorable discharge status, genetic information), (IA - gender identity), (CA - gender identity or expression, and genetic information) or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.

 

 

 

 

 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
McWane is a Federal VEVRAA contractor, and an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices. McWane will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran or service member status, marital status, citizenship status (In IL - sex, including same sex, ancestry, order of protection status, physical or mental disability, military status, pregnancy, unfavorable discharge status, genetic information), (In IA - gender identity), (In CA- gender identity or expression, and genetic information) or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.